WEEKLY REPORT
December 9, 2011
A testament to single gender education
Moving from elementary school to middle school, or from middle school to high school, was simple once. A counselor, principal, or teacher informed the student which school she would attend when summer ended. And the parents got their children to the right school on a specified day at the end of August.
(View complete article here.)
Tarrant juvenile justice officials wary about new combined state agency
When juveniles get in trouble in Tarrant County, they don’t typically end up behind bars.
(View complete article here.)
BLOG: Texas Medial Association: Pay docs enough to ‘take care of Grandma.’
The Texas Medical Association has posted a video explaining its position on a large, looming cut to Medicare reimbursements for doctors in terms that, well, a 10-year-old could understand.
(View complete article here.)
Prison cuts prove fleeting
Last summer, when tough-on-crime Texas closed its first prison ever, legislative leaders were jubilant over downsizing one of the nation’s largest corrections systems by more than 1,000 beds. It was a first big step, they said, toward saving taxpayers tens of millions of dollars in coming years.
(View complete article here.)
OPINION: Be aware of fake fiscal responsibility group lobbyist and his phony Legislative ratings
In past and present cultures, the Latin phrase, “Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?” is uttered whenever those who claim to be watchers over the common good end up abusing their role as the watchers.
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TLR endorses Elizabeth Ames Jones for Texas Senate seat
In a move to oust long-time incumbent Jeff Wentworth R- San Antonio, Texans for Lawsuit Reform (TLR) has formally endorsed Elizabeth Ames Jones for the District 25 Texas Senate Seat.
(View complete article here.)
‘Two juvenile justice directors in line for new agency job get month off with pay
Officials say that’s what happened last week when the Texas Youth Commission was combined with the state Juvenile Probation Commission into a new agency called the Texas Department of Juvenile Justice.
(View complete article here.)
Austin poised to ban smoking in parks
The Austin City Council today is expected to ban cigarette smoking in city parks which means that getting caught lighting up at softball fields, swimming pools, nature trails and campgrounds could result in a fine up to $2,000.
(View complete article here.)
EDITORIAL: Voter ID law battle wastes energy while pros, cons are questionable
While Voter ID advocates rail against voter fraud and Voter ID foes warn of certain voter disenfranchisement, the rest of us are left to endure the faux crisis visited upon the sanctity of the ballot and the ballot box.
(View complete article here.)
New Youth Agency Taking Shape as Two Close
The Texas Youth Commission and the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission are officially gone, and in their place, a new agency is taking shape — lawmakers and advocates hope — to more efficiently and effectively deal with young offenders.
(View complete article here.)
Employers to pay less in jobless tax
Texas employers got an early holiday present Wednesday: a drop in the unemployment insurance tax for next year.
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BLOG: Texas sales tax take eclipsed $2 billion last month
The amazing rebound in Texas oil and gas drilling, plus decent growth in consumer activity, pushed state sales tax receipts last month to $2.07 billion, up 12.2 percent compared to November 2010, Comptroller Susan Combs announced Wednesday.
(View complete article here.)
Hardly downtime for Texas lawmakers between sessions
The Texas Capitol looks and feels much different than it did just eight months ago, but just what are the state’s lawmakers up to now that the Legislative session is over?
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Texas seeks to delay federal rule setting medical-spending minimums for insurers
Texas wants to delay a federal rule that requires health insurers to devote at least 80 percent of their premium revenue to medical care, or pay back the difference to consumers.
(View complete article here.)
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